Water heater appliances generally operate to heat water within tanks of the water heater appliances to a predetermined set temperature. During water draw events, heated water is drawn from the tanks for use, and the heated water is replaced with relatively cool water. Thus, a volume of heated water within water heater appliances can vary over time. Accurately determining or measuring the volume of heated water within the tank of a water heater appliance can be difficult.
Certain water heater appliances utilize multiple temperature sensors positioned along a height of the tank to determine the volume of heated water within the tank. The temperatures sensors measure the temperature of water with the tank at various heights, and the volume of heated water within the tank is determined from the temperature measurements. Other water heater appliances utilize flow meters to determine the volume of heated water within the tank. Utilizing multiple temperature sensors or flow meters to determine the volume of heated water in the tank has certain drawbacks. In particular, providing multiple temperature sensors or flow meters can be expensive.
Accordingly, methods for measuring or determining a volume of heated water within a tank of a water heater appliance would be useful. In particular, methods for measuring or determining a volume of heated water within a tank of a water heater appliance that do not require or use multiple temperature sensors would be useful.